FORT IRWIN, CA – Rapper Sean Kingston was taken into custody during a concert at a U.S. Army base in California on Thursday, while his Florida mansion was simultaneously raided by SWAT, resulting in his mother’s arrest.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office reported that Kingston was apprehended without incident at Fort Irwin, located roughly 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The arrest was based on a Florida warrant for fraud and theft charges. Kingston was performing at the base as part of the United States Army’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Programs.
Video footage shared on social media appears to show law enforcement officers at Fort Irwin’s “Army Field” as Kingston performed his hit song “Eenie Meenie.” The rapper was booked into the San Bernardino jail at 5:02 p.m., interrupting his scheduled performance.
Earlier in the day, Kingston’s mother, Janice Turner, 61, was arrested when authorities raided the rapper’s luxurious property in Southwest Ranches, Florida. She faces charges similar to those of her son. The mansion in question was being rented by Kingston.
The arrests stem from allegations that Kingston defrauded a tech company out of thousands of dollars in a deal involving a television and speaker system. In February, Ver Ver Entertainment LLC filed a lawsuit against Kingston, accusing him of breach of contract and fraud. The lawsuit claims Kingston contacted the company via Instagram to purchase a 232-inch Colossal TV and a sound system, valued at over $111,000.
According to the lawsuit, Kingston promised to create promotional videos featuring his friend, pop star Justin Bieber, in exchange for a reduced price. However, the company alleges that Kingston had no ongoing projects with Bieber and never intended to fulfill his promotional commitments. The contract required Kingston to make a $30,000 down payment followed by a second payment of $47,827.16 and social media posts worth over $38,000. Ultimately, Kingston failed to complete the payments and promotional obligations.
Attorney Robert Rosenblatt, representing Kingston and his mother, acknowledged the allegations and expressed confidence in resolving the matter in court. Following the raid and arrests, Kingston took to Instagram to defend himself, stating that both he and his mother were fine and that their lawyers were handling the situation.